How many times have your gone to the National or a large regional dog show to check out prospective studs and been disappointed in the lack of choices? Sometimes nothing you see complements the bitch you have. With today’s shrinking world, there are more options open to breeders. One of those options is using an over seas stud. With the improvements in storing frozen semen, collecting and shipping fresh chilled semen, and newly lifted quarantines; your breeding choices don’t have to be confined to your geographic area.

When using an overseas stud, you must often rely on pictures, video and word of mouth of people who have met the dogs in person. But this is the case with many US studs where you may not have had the opportunity to meet the dog in person. Or even the case of having only seen the dog as an adolescent and you do not know how he has matured. I was fortunate to deal with breeders and owners who were very helpful in supplying whatever I wanted to do my research on potential overseas studs. This included pictures of the dog, his parents, siblings, and any offspring he may have had on the ground. Videotapes of the dog and relatives. Talking with other breeders overseas who have used the particular dog, or close relatives of his in their breeding programs.

I have had experience sending a bitch overseas for a natural breeding. This can’t always be done if the country still has quarantine laws in effect. My latest litter was a result of fresh chilled semen sent from overseas. You can still run into problems with customs and language barriers resulting in delays. Timing is everything when using fresh chilled semen. Even a day’s delay can mean the difference between having a litter and not. It did take a bit more planning to make sure it all came off smoothly. With fresh chilled, you should decide before hand on what kind of extender you will use, and what type of shipping container it will be transported in. A test collection and storage of the stud is a great idea. That way you know how many days his semen will live. Not all dogs are alike, and not all dogs semen react to the extender and chilling the same.

Everything you need to register such a litter is clearly explained on the AKC website. I am currently bringing in frozen semen from overseas to store in the US. This has its pros and cons. With Frozen semen you don’t have to worry about the timing of shipping, as you can have it on hand months or years in advance of the breeding. One of the drawbacks of frozen semen is with the shorter life span, either surgical or transcervical insemination is recommended over vaginal insemination.

With the use of fresh chilled and frozen semen, you do have the potential for higher breeding costs with the addition of progesterone testing, collection, storage and insemination fees. You also have the potential for decreased litter size in some cases. Finding and using the right stud for your bitch isn’t about producing a huge litter. Its about producing a few quality dogs that fulfil the goals you have for the breeding and the resulting offspring.

Article written by Cathy Lewandowski for the Curly Coated Retriever breed column in the AKC Gazette

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I don't often use the most convenient stud available. Several times I have bred to overseas dogs. You have to develop a relationship of trust with the breeders and owners of these dogs when it comes to health issues. The studs from overseas I have used will not have OFA numbers. (being that the *A* in OFA stands for America.) In these cases I will check out the equivalent health test for that country.

SoftMaple litters health clearances:

#1 Am/Can Ch Pasha N'Charwin's Black Jack,Am/Can WC ROM CR-200G26M, CR-314 X CH Avanti's Best Bet CD CGC ROMX CR-CA12/56F/C-ECHO, CR-483, CR-408E24F

#2 CH Riverwatch Desert Wind ROM CR-EL30, CR-429E24M X CH Avanti's Best Bet CGC ROMX CD CR-CA12/56F/C-ECHO, CR-483, CR-408E24F

#3 CH, HR Elflock-Ranah's Rising Son WC WCX WCQ JH CD CR-549, CR-426G37M X CH Charwin Even Song JH WC WCX CD CGC CR-CA22/41F/C, CR-480F35F, CR-489

#4 Luxembourg Champion, Dutch,VDH, German Ch. Caballus Inferno JWW'98, W'98, Europasieger '99, Bundessieger'99 Hips A/A(Finland), B1(Holland) X CH Mathel Felicitation ROM CR-CA3/38F/C, CR-453G24F,CR-497 (For this litter, I shipped Bumper overseas for the breeding, so the stud has his foreign country of origin hip score equivalent.)

#5 Ch SoftMaple's O' Dark Thirty JH SH MH WC WCX WCQ CD CGC CR-536G27M-T OFA cardiac, CR-685 X CH Charwin Evensong WC WCX JH CD CGC CR-CA22/41F/C, CR- 480F35F, CR-489

#6 CH SoftMaple's International Fling CGC CR-CA134/34F/C-PI CR-640G26F-PI, CR-EL97F26-PI CR-753sired by Jet CH SoftMaple's O' Dark Thirty JH SH MH CD WC WCX WCQ CGC CR-536G27M-T cardiac, CR-685

#7 SUCH Ringlets Constant Wind Cardiac clear, eyes clear, hips A/B to CH SoftMaple's Fairway Explorer CGC CR-CA74/16F/S-PI CR-EL98F28-PI CR-642G28F-PI, CERF (This litter is the product of an imported semen breeding using shipped-cooled semen from Sweden, so the male has his foreign country of origin health checks.)

#8 CH SoftMaple's International Fling CGC CR-CA134/34F/C-PI CR-640G26F-PI, CR-EL97F26-PI CR-753sired by CH Aberbran Bar Von Bern JH WC OFA good; CR-608G24M-PI CR-CA123/37M/P-PI CERF

We at SoftMaple have been active in showing and breeding pure bred dogs since 1979. Active in Curly Coated Retrievers since 1993. We do not earn our income from the sale our puppies. For me raising a litter is a very rewarding, time consuming and expensive passion. When I breed a litter, I focus on the whole dog. I don't breed to whatever stud is nearby, or to whatever stud is winning in the showring, regardless or health or if he would complement my bitch. We are breeding for healthy, sound, highly trainable, versatile dogs without compromising the correct structure and breed type set out in the standard.

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Order your copy of The Puppy Diary

Or mail a check to:
$19.95 ($5.50 Shipping and Handling)
Cathy Lewandowski
8282 Soft Maple Road
Croghan NY 13327

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About the Book

Follow a litter of puppies from birthday until they go to their new homes. The diary contains lots of pictures, tips on puppy rearing, some breed specific information, and lots of information on the care of any breed of dog.

I started doing an on-line puppy diary since many of the people that would be getting one of my pups would not be able to travel here to see the pups. I did not want to put a bunch of cute puppy pictures online, and encourage anyone to have a litter just because they wanted to see cute puppies! Breeding dogs, if done the right way, is a lot of work. Lost sleep and sometimes heartache. It takes a lot of time, effort and money to raise a litter of puppies. Once I started doing The Puppy Diary, I realized I had a captive audience. These people logged on every day to see the pictures, and read what was happening. I used this opportunity to cram as much education into each day as I could. Health, Coat issues, grooming, feeding, socializing, vet care, puppy evaluations, shipping puppies.... you name it! I tried to put it in The Diary. It was suggested that I make it into a book. Well here it is! There are 560 pictures and over 300 pages of living with and watching one litter grow up.

I am sure may conscientious, caring breeders raise litters similar to the way I do. Its is a good look into the time, money, commitment it takes to bring up a litter of pups. Some of the things that go on behind the scenes, that the eventual puppies owners (family), never realize go into the litter. Enjoy my litter as I see them. Day to day

Contents

Chapter One (Week One) ... Page 1
Seger comes into season
Happy Birthday!
Removing the Dewclaws
Start of the Bio Sensor program

Chapter Two (Week Two) ... Page 48
Coat issues.
Tail Gland Hyperplasia
Do Curlies Shed?

Chapter Three (Week Three) ... Page 94
End of Bio Sensor Exercises
Worming The puppies
Eyes are open
First pup escapes from the box

Chapter Four (Week Four) ... Page 130
Weaning. The great food fight!
Introduction to the puppy play room
Shark Cage

Chapter Five (Week Five) ... Page 156
Field dog? Show Dog? CPE?
Happy Mothers Day!
First Stacked pictures

Chapter Six (Week Six) ... Page 195
Toys! Toys! Toys!
What’s In A Name?
Kids and Dogs
Introduction to Wings

Chapter Seven (Week Seven) ... Page 236
About Puppies and Retrieving
Socialize your puppy
First Shots & Vet Visit
Splish Splash, first bath!

Chapter Eight (Week Eight) ... Page 286
Shape up or ship out!
Requirements to ship puppies
See all the pups!

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